Welcome to Cheftalk!
Have a look at some of the older threads as we've covered this topic quite a bit. Of course, It's a good topic to revive so I'm glad you brought it up. New products seem to be poping up everywhere and frankly, my own opinion on the subject has also evolved significantly.
I used to swear by my 10"henkel professional when I first started in the industry. It was not a very wide knife which was great for my small hands, but it had good weight just where it was needed, making chopping effortless.
However, chopping is not really what I do most of. You need to ask yourself what kind of work do you mostly do with your knife, and what your own preferences are.
These days I'm more partial to the lighter, thinner, shorter Japanese blades. Hattori is probably one of the best out there, but not necessarily available depending on where you live. I also enjoy Kazumi knives, though I do not own one. Very pricy.
In terms of new inovations, you really should check out Chroma's new line (301 steel) with a flat handle. It looks compoletely nonsensical, as thehe handle is wider than it is taller, and has a little button between the blade and the handle. They are one piece therefore more sanitary, and surprisingly light, which I favour. More importantly, they are incredibly comfortable to hold, and hold a pretty good edge.
That said, allow me to conclude rather anticlimactically, that my work knife is a $9 knife I bought in chinatown. It has a round plastic handle and is more like a vegetable cleaver than a chef knife. But it has a really thin blade which is perfect for more intricate work, and I even turn veg with it. As long as I hone it daily, it stays pretty sharp. This knife though, is an oddity and I was really lucky to find it. Who knew I'd prefer a $9 knife over a $200 one!
